This may post as Nov 18, but that's bc it's after midnight. Today is Rianna's birthday. She is 9. I swear, I love everything about that girl! We always say that the reason she is so headstrong and stubborn is bc of her fight to make it out of the womb. I was on bed rest for 6 months when pregnant with her. The doctors were ready to deliver her when I was 16 weeks pregnant to save me, but she held on. She was only a few ounces at that time, and I begged and promised and prayed that I could finish the pregnancy. So 24 weeks of bed rest, it was. I would do it all over again if I had to. David and I knew then that we had a special little lady. It's one of the reasons her middle name is Faith.
Rianna was born at 409pm, Nov 17th. I had no medications with her. In the 8 hours of labor I experienced with her, I passed out numerous times, talked to everyone on the planet, had an argument with my mother and the anesthesiologist that punked out and wouldn't give me my drugs, watched the Food Network, and held on strong to David's and mom's (Nancy's) hands. When she was born, she was so adorable, and clean. Not a blemish on her. The nurses commented about how smooth and clean she was, not all wrinkly and stuff. Oh, I love a wrinkly baby too, don't get me wrong, but it was like she was born a perfectionist. She smiled during her 1st bath in the nursery (David had wheeled me to the nursery to watch), and when they 1st laid her on my chest after she was born, she held her head up. Seriously lifted her head up! We knew then that we had our hands full!
It seems like Rianna grew up way too fast. I think that we all feel that way about our babies. One reason I think it happened is bc she became a big sister at 2. So instead of focusing all of our attention on her, we had 2 to divide attention with. She learned everything so early. David and Rianna had a specific routine for the evenings. I used to work the evenings, so they were home together then. After dinner, he'd give her a bath, they'd brush teeth, get lotioned up and dressed, and then played. She learned her numbers and how to trace them, her colors, letters and how to trace them, and names of every electronic/appliance in the house! At bedtime, they would go through the house and name everything. In the kitchen-"Whirlpool Gold refrigerator", "WG microwave", "lights on/off", etc...it was a 30-45 min routine, naming everything. But it was fun. On nights that I was home, I'd let them go through their routine without bothering them.
One thing we loved was that she was not a cartoon baby. She loved PTI on ESPN, and golf. She knew who Tiger Woods was early on, and had her 1st set of golf clubs at a year old. She has always loved to play golf, and we tell people that our babies were born with golf clubs in their hands.
Rianna loved to be read to, and learned how to read early. She still loves to read, and that makes me happy. She is super smart, has won a writing contest for her grade, school, and county! She's won the spelling bee, she makes straight As, and she has a lot of friends. She is compassionate, and hates when people bully others. She does not discriminate against anyone, no matter what. She adores a little boy at school who is in a wheelchair and can't speak. She loves animals, and cries every single time she sees an ASPCA commercial. She donates her birthday gifts to the children's hospital. No one told her she should do this, she just asked me one year about kids in the hospital. She does 5k walks for the causes with me. She is very emotional, and doesn't hold anything in. Unfortunately, bc mom died 2 months ago, she's had to experience death. I hate that the kids had to go through that. We miss mom. Mom had a special bond with each of her grandkids, a different one with each.
I love my baby girl's heart. I know we clash sometimes, but I think it's a mother/daughter norm. I love her with all my heart and I don't know what I'd do without her. So Happy Birthday, my Rianna, I love you so much, and so does your daddy and brother, and all of your family.
Oh yeah, I'll update about illnesses in the next post.
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